Open mike 24/04/2011

52 comments on “Open mike 24/04/2011 ”

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1. Carol 1

   24 April 2011 at 7:13 am

   Oh FFS!  Now Key wants the Queen to come to NZ for the Rugby World Cup, and is asking for Labour’s agreement

   http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/4921695/Queen-may-visit-if-Labour-agrees

   Please Labour DO NOT AGREE!  The protocol is there for a reason!  And Key’s a manipulative conman to try to pull this one!

   We should be moving away from royalism, and not taking a step back towards forelock-tugging awe of aristrocratic privilege.  Key is just trying to promote yet more pomp, ceremony & circusses to take the focus of the poor state of the economy & his whittling away of our democratic rights.

   Take a stong stand on this Labour and don’t be sucked into the threat of negative publicity – show what you stand for…. Democratic process, working for the Kiwi battlers in these difficult times!

   And FFS, Mr Key, stop trying to run the country like a corporation, where marketing and PR spin over-rides democracy!  Start being a proper PM, govern for all the people, support democracy & NZ sovereignty, and start to work for those doing it tough these days.
   • Tigger 1.1

     24 April 2011 at 8:29 am

     Totally agree Carol. Why on earth would we want her here then? There is no reason for it.

     Kia kaha Labour. Just say no to Liz.
     • the pink postman 1.1.1

       24 April 2011 at 2:48 pm

       We should tell the whole shabang to sling their hooks including the Governers -General. Then we should return to a honours list relevent to Aotearoa which the last Labour government was gradually bringing,in  until sabotaged by the Royalist Key,
       • Jim Nald 1.1.1.1

         24 April 2011 at 5:21 pm

         hey carol
         looks like winnie is on to it
         england’s lizzy thing fast becoming donkey’s plaything
         • Carol 1.1.1.1.1

           24 April 2011 at 5:31 pm

           Thanks, Jim.  Cool!
            

           Mr Peters said the very idea was a tasteless attempt to embroil our Head of State in domestic politics. It was devoid of any historic or legal understanding of New Zealand’s constitutional position.
            
           “The Queen and her family are very welcome in New Zealand – except during an election campaign because such a visit would imply Royal support for the political party in government at the time.

           “It is clear the National Party does not want to campaign on issues such as asset sales, low wages, the cost of living and privatising the foreshore and seabed. John Key’s big tax payer funded public relations team just wants to continue with the tactics of political platitudes and photo opportunities.
            
           “This latest suggestion is even sillier than the Prime Minister’s view that Prince William, second in line to the throne, would visit as a ‘private citizen’ at the Cup.
            
           “I am confident of the Royal family’s awareness of its responsibilities and saddened by the image of New Zealand that the Prime Minister has so tactlessly painted of us.
            
           “It is also a constitutional and diplomatic blunder by the invitation appearing in the media before the Queen has even heard of it.
            
           “How undignified must we seem to other Commonwealth nations?
            

           I agree with all of this. Well, except that Winston sounds like more of a royalist than me.
           • Jim Nald 1.1.1.1.1.1

             24 April 2011 at 5:40 pm

             If your representative does not represent your view,
             there is an option to communicate directly with QEII
              
             Facebook:
             http://www.facebook.com/pages/Queen-Elizabeth-II/110428482320169
              
             Contact details as from websource:
             Her Majesty The Queen
             Buckingham Palace
             London SW1A 1AA
             General enquiries can be made by telephone during working hours: (+44) (0)20 7930 4832.
              
             Is there any petition currently circulating about the ill-advised nature of setting aside the protocol?
              
              
           • Draco T Bastard 1.1.1.1.1.2

             24 April 2011 at 6:28 pm

             The Queen and her family are very welcome in New Zealand – except during an election campaign because such a visit would imply Royal support for the political party in government at the time.

             So, how would we do it when we become a republic? Send the HoS away for a few weeks holiday on the other side of the world?
             • Carol …

               24 April 2011 at 6:43 pm

               I was puzzled for a minute, pondering on the impact of sending the Herald on Sunday overseas during an NZ election campaign.
                
               Then the penny dropped:  Head of State.  The same as we do with the Governor General, i should think. They, and a head of a republican NZ, would be living in NZ, without any of the hoohah, razzmatazz and extra photo ops that happen when a Brit based royal makes a short visit to NZ.
               • Jim Nald …

                 24 April 2011 at 6:49 pm

                 two key photo-ops coming up:
                 tomorrow’s Anzac Day
                 the wedding later this week
                 this is a good week, a very good week, a very good week it is
   • Lanthanide 1.2

     24 April 2011 at 8:33 am

     Hopefully some in the broader public will see this as desperation by Key. Anything for a photo-op, like misusing military equipment.

     Why would the Queen be interested in seeing a rugby game anyway? Seems like a pretty flimsy pretence.
2. big bruv 2

   24 April 2011 at 8:29 am

   The reason Labour are irrelevant to mainstream New Zealand.

   http://www.stuff.co.nz/sunday-news/opinion/4897106/O-Connor-needs-help-getting-Labour-back-to-its-roots
   • Bored 2.1

     24 April 2011 at 8:43 am

     Bruv, Tamihere makes a bold statement. Do you agree with his assertion that the market is a crock of proverbial, that globalisation has wrecked our manufacturing base and increased our reliance on agriculture? If you did not read that bit read again.
     • Tiger Mountain 2.1.1

       24 April 2011 at 8:51 am

       The Natz are surely ‘more’ irrelevant taking Bored’s point. Labour has recanted, while the tories are full steam ahead on these failed policies. 

       Sure Tamihere soothes your fevered nights Bruver but for anyone with some commitment to the 21st century he is just a paid per word columnist filling space these days.
       • McFlock 2.1.1.1

         24 April 2011 at 1:59 pm

         Which specific bits did Labour “recant”?
         All I heard was a sort of ‘things were done which were regrettable’ non-pology.
     • Colonial Viper 2.1.2

       24 April 2011 at 2:05 pm

       Surely you jest Bored, bruv picked out from whole paragraphs the individual sentences and words which appealed, the rest he dismissed as tripe.
   • Carol 2.2

     24 April 2011 at 9:03 am

     Natz, run by a cabal of heterosexual white men in the interests of a powerful minority, the international wealthy elite.
     • Pete 2.2.1

       24 April 2011 at 10:18 am

       As opposed to the Gaggle of Gays and Unionist that one Current Labour MP feels they are being led by.
     • neoleftie 2.2.2

       24 April 2011 at 5:42 pm

       Thats the whole bare naked truth there to a point
3. The Voice of Reason 3

   24 April 2011 at 9:15 am

   http://www.stuff.co.nz/sunday-star-times/news/4921530/Nats-back-to-square-one-in-the-latest-poll
    
   Quite an interesting poll, but seems to seriously underrate Labour. However, the gap between leftish and right is bugger all and that’s the numbers that count.
   • PeteG 3.1

     24 April 2011 at 9:30 am

     I can only add up to 86% in the poll, but I think it includes undecideds. There are still some odd numbers, including NZF on 7.4%, Act on 3.7% are at odds with other recent polls.
     • The Voice of Reason 3.1.1

       24 April 2011 at 9:39 am

       In a funny way, it does seem to mirror a more likely election result, with both Labour and National giving up support to the minors, which does tend to happen on polling day. ACT would probably be pleased with the result because it puts more pressure on the Nats to tank in Epsom, because on these numbers the outright Tory win is not a runner.
        
       I think the NZF 7.4% is probably on the money, given Winston’s positive press coverage in the last couple of months.
       • PeteG 3.1.1.1

         24 April 2011 at 9:44 am

         In a funny way I agree, it does look more realistic for how things may turn out unless there is some major change.
          
         In particular I think a Brash Act would make it harder for National to maintain their current margin, which I expect will close up regardless of Brash.
   • Lanthanide 3.2

     24 April 2011 at 11:27 am

     I think the greens at 9.9% is pretty odd, though. And showing NZF at 7.7% at the moment seems unlikely, given what all the other polls show. I don’t think they’ll even muster that at the general election, maybe 6% at the outside top end.

     But yes, it’s left vs right bloc that’s more important, and from these horizon polls, probably the only thing broad enough to really have much confidence in.
     • higherstandard 3.2.1

       24 April 2011 at 12:55 pm

       I’m registered as four different people in the horizon polls and still haven’t won the ipad.
       • McFlock 3.2.1.1

         24 April 2011 at 2:18 pm

         that explains the 3.7%, then. It’s a sample bias.
4. rd 4

   24 April 2011 at 9:18 am

   What is happening at IRD. I want to do my tax return before heading overseas. This is the message i get.

   We’re finalising your income tax details. Check back after 15 May 2011.

   Is that timing normal?
   • PeteG 4.1

     24 April 2011 at 10:03 am

     I don’t know if it’s normal, but the same thing happened to me when I tried to do my tax last week. I’m usually a tax procrastinator and running late, so haven’t encountered it before.
      
     They do have to allow time for all of the IR Filing from employers and investment companies etc so I’m not surprised.
     • Draco T Bastard 4.1.1

       24 April 2011 at 12:23 pm

       You mean that you’re not surprised that they’re understaffed – and National just cut the staffing levels by ~500.
       • higherstandard 4.1.1.1

         24 April 2011 at 1:12 pm

         Hooray
   • Campbell Larsen 4.2

     24 April 2011 at 10:11 am

     Could be nothing to worry about – or the IRD might just be busy using their new data matching powers granted after the quake to try and catch people out – I know the govt promised us that wouldn’t happen and only people affected by the quake would have their records assessed so they could receive ‘support’ but really now, how are we ever going to know?
     • Herodotus 4.2.1

       24 April 2011 at 11:14 am

       This time last year I logged onto the IRD site to requet all my families income statements- I was told to wait for 2 months (i think I had to wait until July 2010 for the Mar 2010 year)
       Also it takes time for employers to reconcile and file their returns.
   • Lanthanide 4.3

     24 April 2011 at 11:29 am

     It is normal. For ‘average’ people who don’t need to declare additional income etc, the tax refunds only get processed in July and August. For other people who need to declare income, they can get processed in June or July. Sucks that there’s such a lag after 31st of March, but it’s been this way for years.
5. Campbell Larsen 5

   24 April 2011 at 9:55 am

   What has Jane Diplock been up to? Working on some pretty esoteric stuff apparently – this from the Herald today

   ‘The final report from the IOSCO conference shows it’s been busy updating principles and working on reports. I’m looking forward to reading “Principles for Dark Liquidity”, which, mysteriously, will “be published in due course”.’

   Ha Ha Ha – Mirth – ‘Principles for Dark Liquidity’ – presumably the name for the vast, yet invisible concentrations of wealth that perturb the distribution of opportunity and equality across the known universe…While econo-astrologers do not yet agree on the mechanism by which it interacts with actual people, products and services all agree that its effect is significant and that its existence is both implied and necessary if we are to make any sense of the other constellations of cash (or lack thereof) that populate the solar system.
6. joe90 6

   24 April 2011 at 10:00 am

   What really happened.

   How climate science became the target of “the best-funded, best-organized smear campaign by the wealthiest industry that the Earth has ever known.”

   single page.
7. Zorr 7

   24 April 2011 at 11:04 am

   http://videocafe.crooksandliars.com/heather/rachel-maddow-michigan-high-school-ground

   Scary parallels to our own current round of doing away with democracy…
   • Draco T Bastard 7.1

     24 April 2011 at 2:26 pm

     Looks just like what NACT did to ECan.
     • joe90 7.1.1

       24 April 2011 at 4:17 pm

       The levels the arseholes have descended too, unbelievable. 

       Under a new budget proposal from State Sen. Bruce Casswell, children in the state’s foster care system would be allowed to purchase clothing only in used clothing stores.
       • Vicky32 7.1.1.1

         24 April 2011 at 5:34 pm

         children in the state’s foster care system would be allowed to purchase clothing only in used clothing stores.

         Oh my giddy aunt! How completely insane.
         
8. Adrian 8

   24 April 2011 at 12:42 pm

   Carol, “Nats run by hetero white men…”. The Nats have got more hypocritical scaredy cats in the closet than Labour has out of it !.  Including quite a few faux married ones, and not only the obvious ones.
9. Salsy 9

   24 April 2011 at 1:17 pm

   Wow you know the right are desperate when Whaleoil has to start citing Kerre Woodham of all realiable sources..

   Sim­i­larly with Key’s deci­sion to use a heli­copter to fly between Hamil­ton and Auck­land to ful­fil his oblig­a­tions. They weren’t urgent oblig­a­tions and with a bit of for­ward plan­ning he could prob­a­bly have been dri­ven — but Labour’s bol­lock­ing of his deci­sion to fly has backfired.

   Er no it hasnt Kerre. In fact its gathered momentum and no comparison of Helen Clark on official business, not photo-ops will make any difference..
    
    
10. M 10

    24 April 2011 at 1:46 pm

    But after more than 20 years of wheat self-sufficiency, the Saudis announced in January 2008 that this aquifer was largely depleted and they would be phasing out wheat production. Between 2007 and 2010, the harvest of nearly 3m tonnes dropped by more than two-thirds. At this rate the Saudis could harvest their last wheat crop in 2012 and then be totally dependent on imported grain to feed their population of nearly 30 million.

    http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2011/apr/22/water-the-next-arab-battle
    • Draco T Bastard 10.1

      24 April 2011 at 2:28 pm

      Water has been heating up as a major resource war for some time. Especially in the areas that have little rainfall.
      • Colonial Viper 10.1.1

        24 April 2011 at 8:58 pm

        NZ must be prepared to go to all lengths protect our fresh water.
         
        Given what is happening with dairying around the country, we are (literally) doing a shit job so far.
11. gobsmacked 11

    24 April 2011 at 7:31 pm

    Anyone watch Paula Bennett on TV One?

    A National cabinet minister suddenly discovers reality for poor people … it just shows how out of touch (and out of her depth) she is.

    Check out the feedback on Twitter – not good publicity for Paula!
    • felix 11.1

      24 April 2011 at 8:34 pm

      For those who don’t know how to check that, click here:
      http://twitter.com/#!/search/paula%20bennett
      • Pascal's bookie 11.1.1

        25 April 2011 at 2:29 am

        Shit. That’s ugly.
    • Campbell Larsen 11.2

      24 April 2011 at 9:09 pm

      ….the sorry spectacle of mean bitch Bennett desperately bending over backwards to try and portray herself as generous ‘I wanted to give them extra biscuits but I got told off’ – PUKE – PUKE – DOUBLE PUKE –
      • ianmac 11.2.1

        24 April 2011 at 9:16 pm

        Of course Trevor is to come later weeding Asparagus. Wonder if it was recorded before his breakage? And Bridges with SPCA, Shane Jones fisherman, Nikki Kaye dairy farmer, Rodney Hide ???? special needs teacher aide. I expect the commentary will be given a hiding or a hug depending on who you back.
        Thought Paula worrying about her appearance and wondering about the door opening was a give-way!
        • Olwyn 11.2.1.1

          24 April 2011 at 10:07 pm

          The concept leaves me uneasy since it seems to promote the idea of politicians as celebrity-executives. How long before we have them cooking competitively and playing survivor?
        • Vicky32 11.2.1.2

          25 April 2011 at 1:13 am

          Who on earth ever came up with the idea of letting Rodney Hide anywhere near children, let alone those with special needs?
          That was my job back in 2001, and it’s a specialised one. I will lay odd that Hide hasn’t got the training, so why is he being allowed to do it?
    • M 11.3

      25 April 2011 at 1:51 am

      It’s rare that I’ve seen a more cynical manipulation of the media with Bennett donning an apron and acting as a Fran Drescheresque server – gag me!

      What, this woman thinks that because she puts on an apron, gingers up some guacamole and shouts a few hot drinks that it’s then OK to go back to parliament and maintain the thumb screw approach to beneficiaries?

      The icing on the cake: the crocodile tears and the request for a hug from those whom her policies are designed to consign to an ever more bitter future to make her feel better about herself. I reckon they’ll be feeling excrutiating pain after NACT’s ministrations on 19 May.

      Paula Bennett you are a complete disgrace to New Zealand and your fellow citizens with your utter pretence at having some heart. 
12. Colonial Viper 12

    25 April 2011 at 12:59 am

    David Cameron “very relaxed” about helping friends’ children.

    It follows yesterday’s public spat between Cameron and Clegg over internships which centred on comments made in an interview in which the prime minister admitted to recently giving work experience to a neighbour’s son. Cameron said he was “very relaxed” about the situation and that he would continue to help friends by offering their children internships.

    Gawdammit, the Tories really use Crosby Textor as well.
     
    http://www.guardian.co.uk/politics/2011/apr/24/nick-clegg-internships-david-cameron

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